To Protect and to Serve
by knoodelhed
Summary: (IOTM/TBD plus 20 yrs) And here...we...go! Otto has built the career, business, and venue of his dreams incorporating everything he knows and loves to do, and is confronted by a bizarre mystery that could have a connection to him. Fortunately he has friends near and far to help.
1. Teaser

Ocean Shores, California

September 9, 2024–1045 hrs. California Standard Time

The work crew had traced the fault in the cable to a junction in one of the older subdivisions. Many of these passages, originally designed to carry copper cables many times thicker than the fiber optics that came years later, had not seen human traffic since they were last serviced as long ago as over twenty years previous. Men could easily pass through here nowadays, if they crouched in some places. When they entered the enclosure, they came across an unpleasant surprise: The beam of a flashlight revealed some tattered clothing that had been out of fashion for a few years, and an old rucksack. Small dry bones could be seen underneath. There were dark stains on the otherwise featureless cement floor.

A couple of feet away from this was a battered red skater helmet with white stripes in the classic "flyaway" pattern.

It was strapped to a skull that was still wearing a pair of sunglasses.


	2. And now the news

Southern California Times-Register - Breaking News

September 9, 2024

**Cable workers reveal bones of child**

The police department in Ocean Shores released a statement late this morning regarding human remains that had been found at a work site by infrastructure services staff who were investigating a network hardware problem.

"The bones appear to be those of a 12 to 15 year old child who was wearing a skater helmet with a unique design," Police Chief Lewis Crumpacker reported. "We are in the process of determining who it is, and when and how they died, whereupon we'll compare that information with various open missing person reports from throughout the region."


	3. Kauai

To Serve and Protect - A Rocket Power fanfiction story

_Woodward Beach Club, Kauai_

_September 9, 2024 – 0853 hrs Hawaii Standard Time_

Otto Rocket entered his office and settled behind his desk, coffee cup in hand, starting into the day's correspondence. A tall, broad-shouldered fellow of thirty-four with a tan, lightly freckled back and a mop of auburn hair covering his head, Otto was a man who counted his blessings. During the preceding two decades and counting as one of the pre-eminent boardriders and watermen of his peer group, generation, and era, he had also acquired a global reputation as a sometime stuntman, a legendary bowhunter, spearfisherman, and underwater explorer. Although the enterprise Otto and his entourage commanded was vastly famous for its surfing and skateboarding programs, there were seven (or was that eight?) other activity tracks offered there. And now that school was going into session in the northern hemisphere a relative if temporary calm descended on the year-round facility. This afforded him the opportunity to awaken somewhat later than normal, say around 0730, and get caught up on some things.

His private Skype account rang, flashing a banner. "POLICE EMERGENCY NOTIFICATION" it proclaimed before opening a window.

He saw a man with short wavy blond hair seated at a desk talking to him (or at least to a camera). He was clean shaven, not that much older than Otto, and wearing a dark blue polo shirt with a yellow police patch on his front left. "Otto, it's Scott," he introduced himself. Otto recognized him immediately, first by voice then by face, as an old and trusted friend. "I'm glad to see you're okay. We've got a really weird situation on our hands. You used to wear that red helmet with the white stripes, right?"

"Funny you should ask, Scott. Back before I went to Russia to be in the Winter Olympics and before we moved out of town, me and Clio were cleaning out some old stuff. I do remember having seen it then. Amongst some other odds and ends, it probably got donated to the Salvation Army. By mistake," Otto replied somewhat ruefully. "When I got back I remembered how much I liked that old helmet and how safe it made me feel, so I had Von Wolf make me a couple more." Otto pointed the webcam at his hat rack. "So, tell me more about this 'weird situation' and I might be able to help you."

Scott knew he had to spill. "We found a partial skeleton in a cable conduit this morning wearing that helmet or one like it. Been down there for years, poor kid. We're just now working on an identity and a time of death."

Otto was stunned. "Scott, how bad have things gotten over there?" he pined. "I share your unnervement. I'm distressed that some poor kid met an untimely death under suspicious circumstances, and frankly, I'm somewhat concerned that in the past somebody might have been wanting to kill me and got somebody else instead."

Scott could that instant only look back at Otto and frown with despair.

"But I'm intrigued, to say the least," Otto continued. "Let me know if there are any new developments, or if your case develops any further relevance regarding me. And yes it has been a long time. I do wish the circumstances of your calling me could have been better."

"As do I, O man," Scott replied, "I'll keep you posted."

"Please do." The window closed itself.

Then Twister entered the room. He'd been listening from outside and a tweenaged girl who could have been a virtual female twin of a young Otto came in with him, standing between the two men while nursing an orange julius.

"Aero, my sweetness, and Twister, mi compañero!" he greeted. Aero Rocket, Otto's daughter, wore a shiny short sleeve purple leotard, boardshorts, and crocs to offset her naturally curly strawberry hair. Twister Rodriguez, Otto's eternal wingman who could do everything Otto could do just about as well (and then some, being an action sports videographer and photojournalist), wore a tanktop and boardshorts. Otto took a cue from how Aero was dressed; this was what she normally wore to go scuba diving, and listened as Aero spoke up.

"Dado, we have an eleven o'clock dive coming up and Stacy hasn't shown up yet; Keoni's on Oahu today, Mama's out somewhere, Twister's driving the boat today, and we still need an official in-water guide. Can you cover?" Stacy was a dive guide and instructor who worked with WBC's underwater program. Otto and the other adults Aero mentioned were all either certified scuba instructors or divemasters, a useful qualification to have if you worked at an island resort, even one primarily for active kids.

"Leilani's involved with other things today as well," Twister interjected.

"Sure thing, pumpkin," replied Otto as he gave Twister a nod. By her own choice a team player, Aero was ever on the ball; Otto respected that. Every so often though, he or Clio needed to remind her of her primary role as their daughter, and her secondary role as part time WBC staffer. "Who's diving today?"

Twister produced a clipboard which Aero showed Otto. "Amber K and Megan E; Julio R and Billy T; Joey L and Lance M; and Robbie K with me," Aero pointed out. "All certified except for Robbie, but he's doing ok except that he needs a little help on his buoyancy. I think working with me gives him more confidence."

"I think he likes you and it relaxes him. I've seen the both of you on the street course," Otto teased.

"Does NOT!" she half giggled.

"Whatever. Twist and I need to talk. Your dive trip will leave on time." Aero kissed Otto on his forehead and sauntered off, beaming.

"I'm getting a vaguely uneasy feeling about this, bud," Otto addressed Twister. "Remember when your brother pranked us with that urban legend about the missing WoodRanger?" Twist nodded in the affirmative. "Well, one of the first things I learned in sociology is that urban legends are more often than you think based on actual fact. And another thing I learned is, nothing travels faster or gets more clicks..."

"...Than bad news," Twister completed. "This kind of news is bound to hit the wires within an hour or less. I'll call Reg and fill her in."

"No, _I'll_ do it. You've got a boat to get ready. Kimo will help you with the tanks. I'll be right along."

_FailMode LP, White Plains, New York_

_September 9, 2024–1408 hrs. Eastern Standard Time_

FailMode was an engineering laboratory specializing in failure mode analysis, "the science of why things break," which despite its relatively small size boasted an impressive roster of clients, among them Fortune 500 level corporations, top tier law firms, major universities, and a wide spectrum of government agencies and other groups. Sam Dullard oversaw the scientific end of things, while his wife, the lovely and talented former Miss Reggie Rocket, was helping to build the company's communications arm.

The incoming call from Otto arrived at an actual vintage wooden switchboard cabinet, where FailMode's human operator literally shoved a plug into a hole to connect the call.

"...Well, suppose it _did_ come to that," Reg counseled, understanding her brother's confusion. "Anyone who doubts that you're alive or that you really are Otto would have to overcome literal mountains of evidence...YouTube videos, your medical history, your Wikipedia article, sport records, your work with Team Calypso, our memoirs, everything covering you on Transworld, and everything you've been doing out on Kauai. That's pretty hard to suddenly reclassify as 'in doubt'. I don't think that an identity issue is likely," she continued, "but you were wise to mention the possibility that someone in the past could have been trying to kill you and got him instead."

"I dunno, Reg," replied Otto. "Somehow I feel that this ...thing might require my personal attention on some level. I'm of half a mind right now to fly out to California this very night."

"Then go, ...tonight. I'll call Raymundo and tell him you'll be on the mainland for a week or so to take care of some business. And Trish will want to book you for sone time on her radio show."

"Thanks. Reg. You're the greatest," Otto complimented.

_Email Message_

_Otto Rocket, Woodward Hawaii to Lewis Crumpacker, Ocean Shores Police_

_cc Scott Sanchez, Ocean Shores Police_

_September 9, 2024 – 1530 hrs Hawaii Standard Time_

_Priority: High_

_Subject: Human remains found at cable site_

Guys,

I'll need to view the human remains, personal effects, and any other evidence that were discovered this morning, on whatever chance that I can provide further information on this matter. Time is of the essence and I would like to be able to get this done before any related pictures find their way into the media. Understand, if this death is associated with a threat or plot against me or those close to me, past or continuing, the killer could still be at large. Moreover, someone with an endeavor and responsibility such as mine needs to be proactive about any issue that could affect reputation. Twister and I will be arriving on the next available flight.

Aloha

Otto

By Scott Sanchez


End file.
